GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

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AJMD429
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GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by AJMD429 »

....pretty much 'tells it like it was' a hundred years ago.

NOT politically correct...!

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/158160582 ... ant+sinner

A review - http://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/c ... es-askins/

He definitely doesn't water down his opinions...
Last edited by AJMD429 on Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

Post by AJMD429 »

Old post, but it reminded me of Askins' book to read "Hell, I Was There !" - the autobiography of Elmer Keith. It is hard to find, and even a used copy ain't cheap (I found one for $49), but it is a GREAT read. It is 300 pages long and at page 50 I've yet to find a single boring page...!
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

Post by JerryB »

I reckon Askin's book will be good reading. I bought a hard cover copy of Elmer's book probably 15 years ago. I have read it two or three times and look up different things once in a while.
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

Post by Old Savage »

Both great books. I have an autographed copy of Askins book.
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

Post by piller »

I am still looking for a copy of Keith's book. I guess I need to take my search online, and add Askin's book, too.
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

Post by jnyork »

piller wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:51 pm I am still looking for a copy of Keith's book. I guess I need to take my search online, and add Askin's book, too.
Ebay has several.
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

Post by JB »

Elmer was a big liar, but I still found his book an entertaining read. I'm sure he'd have been a lot of fun to go to the range with. I haven't read the Askins book, but I need to.
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Re: GREAT book - autobiography of Charles Askins

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JB wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:16 pm Elmer was a big liar,
:?: :o :?:
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

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Did you know him well enough to know he lied to you??????
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by Leverluver »

I may have told this story before but I'm getting old and forget a lot :wink:
In 76 I attended the Erv Malnarich ( another giant of a character) guide school in Hamilton MT. We were doing the rifle marksmanship classes in Victor and Elmer came as a guest instructor. Now both Elmer and Erv were known to pull a long draw on the bottle at any time of the day that suited them, in this instance in the early afternoon. By that time Erv had been black balled from every bar in Hamilton. Elmer had brought along a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H and we all got to shoot it. It was my turn and I got up on the bench where Elmer was also ensconced. I had never fired a rifle as large as 375 but I thought I did quite well considering. I turned to see Elmer's reaction and to my astonishment, he was completely asleep, no small task with a 375 going off three feet away. By that time he and Erv had killed a full fifth of, I believe, Old Crow and it had taken it's affect. I enjoyed meeting both those characters and have fond memories of my time in their presence.
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by AJMD429 »

No doubt with time and re-telling, many of his tales of his youth have been embellished, but few autobiographies would lack that factor, and probably even most biographies. It doesn't make them any less interesting, and still by comparison I think we get a flavor of what the world was like 100 years ago 'out west' versus the sanitized, lawyerized, world we have now, particularly in urban areas. If I make it to 77, I hope I'm in good enough shape to make it to the range, sleepy or not....!
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by piller »

It may be that he embellished a few rememberances. It is difficult to not do it. Plus, how you remember it may be a little different from how someone else remembers it. It doesn't make you a liar, just a human.
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by JB »

JerryB wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:30 am Did you know him well enough to know he lied to you??????
I didn't know him at all, but anyone with a little real world experience and common sense can tell a lot of his stories were pure b.s.
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by Woodtroll »

JB wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:34 pm
JerryB wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:30 am Did you know him well enough to know he lied to you??????
I didn't know him at all, but anyone with a little real world experience and common sense can tell a lot of his stories were pure b.s.
Calling a man you don't even know a liar will get you a drubbing in a lot of places in this country, mostly the backwoods. The folks that knew Elmer best vouched for his stories, and many folks that doubted his stories changed their minds after meeting and shooting with him.
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by AJMD429 »

I've heard similar stories from guys who lived on the edge in that era, so either they all were liars, all were 100% honest, or most likely, all were a typical mix of varying degrees of truth.

Even in my own relatively-civilized upbringing a half century later, there are lots of things those who weren't there at the time would have trouble believing, but I witnessed or partipated in. Most of them I don't even tell, other that to my kids, or to others who were there as we reminisce. No point in upsetting folks, or telling them something they wouldn't believe anyway, even if the statute of limitations has long passed... :o :lol:
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by JB »

Woodtroll wrote: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:28 pm
JB wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:34 pm
JerryB wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:30 am Did you know him well enough to know he lied to you??????
I didn't know him at all, but anyone with a little real world experience and common sense can tell a lot of his stories were pure b.s.
Calling a man you don't even know a liar will get you a drubbing in a lot of places in this country, mostly the backwoods. The folks that knew Elmer best vouched for his stories, and many folks that doubted his stories changed their minds after meeting and shooting with him.
Thank God Elmer's not here anymore then. From his writing, I know he could out shoot and out fight any man living. He wrote about it quite frequently. I'd hate to get a drubbing.

I once read that someone who knew Elmer on a personal basis said that he had a tendency to live beyond his financial means. That pressure for money may have led to more and more elaborate stories that he knew would sell. I have a few of Elmer's books and enjoyed reading them, but know they're full of a lot of tale tails.
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by .45colt »

Wow..... Keith a Liar??? more than 70 years shooting , writing , guiding....his first article in American Rifleman in the 1920's? somebody LIED TO YOU.......and when it was all said and done His heirs had a good payday......looks like a Liar to Me..http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... 9-million/
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by JB »

Yes, he wasn't truthful with a number of his stories, but if you prefer "fiction writer" I'll go along with that one. Steven King is a great writer, but I don't really believe that means all those stories are really true. I missing the point of what year he was first published or how many articles he wrote makes him truthful. I have a number of Peter Hataway Capstick's books and really enjoyed reading them all, but there's a strong belief that a lot of his stories were made up or borrowed from other people's adventures.
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Re: GREAT books - autobiographies of Charles Askins and Elmer Keith

Post by piller »

As far as Capstick goes, he did have a P.H. license. That is indisputable. As far as his abilities, I will defer to Tink Nathan and others who actually knew him.

Many famous people who have seen the elephant have their detractors. There are people who have done things which seem almost superhuman. Jerry Miculek with his revolver, Bob Munden with his fast draw, Carlos Hathcock with his sniping and hiding, Portugee Phillips and his famous ride, Alvin C York and his capture of almost a Company of German soldiers by being deadlier alone than they were together, John Colter's run. These and more are examples of things people have done which are so far above the average as to sound like BS. John Colter's run makes a marathon seem like a walk in the park. That is until you realize that he truly was running for his life. Bob Munden's draw caused his hand to pull over 7 times the force of gravity. Unless you have seen film clips of his draw speed, that sounds like pure BS. Not everything which sounds far fetched is BS.
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